New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-11
OBITUARY.
JAMES b. EADS.

NASSAU " p, March s.-Captain James B. Eads died
here to-day Of pneumonia
The eminent engineer James B. Eads, whose death Is
above announced born May 49, 1920, at Lawrence
burg Indiana, and removed with his patents nine years
later to Louisville Kentucky. After the death Of bis
father In 1888 he went to e. Louis Missouri and there
after largely made that city his home. From $50 to
1872 he served as clerk Mississippi River steam
poat ana LETT that position to enter rm engaged In
the recovery OF valuables from eunken wrecks This
business be soon became manager OF, and conducted 1t
with great profit that in 1857 he able to retro
from with handsoe fortune At the outbreak Of the
rebellion In 1851 he offered his services to the National
men and prepared plan for the defence Of the
great rivers Of the West Under contract with the Gov
eminent he built fleet OF ironclad gunboats and
another Of doubletureted monitors for offensive and
defensive use on the Mississippi In the construction OF
these vessels many features of his invention were
employed for the first time with marked success.
But captain Eads's reputation principally rests upon
MS achievements as civil engineer, snos the war. His
first great work the building. In 1S7O,74 of the
ILLINOIS ana st. Louis Bridge the Mississippi River
OF ST. Louis This colossal structure consists OF three
spans each formed with four ribbed arches of cast Steel
resting upon massive piers OF granite which in turn rest
upon caissons ITO feet below the OF the river
The central span 500 feet aud the Others SOP feet
each IN the clear by far the largest arched In the
world The bridge carries double tracked railroad and
above IL q Carriage road ano foOtwalk 81 feet wide
There are In the structure 900 tons Of STEEL 200 tons
OF rolled ron 800 OF wrought iron aud 200 tons OF
cast ir0n and its total cost than $4,000 900
IL presents, says " The Encyclopaedia Britannica" tho
hnes example OF metal arch yet erected This bridge
was opened for travel in the summer OF 1874 Then Cap
tain Eads secured from Government a contract for
deepening the channels at the months OF the Msslssr
River lie agreed to within eight months o
depth of twenty feet OF water and increase this depth
hV fEA Of
thirty feet attained. Tue of the operations
was the South Pass, and the used the con-
sructon OF jetes These Ietes. or break waters OK
tending outward from the shores narrowed the channel
The force OF the current thus increased and TIE
soft mud and sand secured away by the water
itself These operations Of Captain Eais were highly
successful and New-Oreans AMI the other Mississippi
world
Tue last grta' ENTERPRISE to which Captain Eads gave
his on,and whIon lie leaves still lncompeto. was
the shiI rll"ay across tue Istbnus Of Tehudntepec
Mexico Captain Ea1s determined upon tnis AS more
promising undertaking. than tue construction 0I either
he Panama Nicaragua canal The length Of tho route
- I3i miles, It's highest point 73O feet abOye inc sea
level aud It's heaviest grade Is less than % feet per
mile Captain Eads proposed TO construct mary
tracked railroad with turua and with hrydocks
AT each end The largest ocean steamers heavily ladon
we're to be docseh paced Ia huge cradles mounted on
cars and dragged overland from TO ny the com
ned force OF half u doz"n giant locomotives. Ihe
entire cost OF tins stnrendons WORK captain Lsds est
mated at less than s7oOOOOOp and lie calpcd that we
tonnage that might naturally be expected to follow THIS
route would pay handsome prOns on that Investment
handsome concession made by the Mexican Govern
mont for the bHl.Gng OF this road aud ddr1f the past
five sI years Captain Eads has earnestly been seek
Ing To secure for II the PATRONAGE OF the United otne
Government. bu. without Personally the Cap
tain was an agreeable gentleman. with hosts OF friends
and great following In lis business enterIrses
WASHINGTON. March 10 (SpcriaD.- death OF Cap
taia Eads from Washington another wellknown
character TWAS only about three weeks ago that Mr..
Eads appeared before the Commerce Committee OF
the Senate in behalf OF his scheme to build
a shin railway across the Isthmus o;
Tehuanepec He was then looking in fairly good health.
None OF bis friends suspected that the end was SO near
His bil-a simple act Of incorporatonbad just passed
the Senate after debate which turned not 60 much upon
the merits OF the lads scheme upon the general po
cal and International aspects OF lsthmian transit was
bitterly opposed 10y the friends OF the Nicaragua Canal
project who declared that the railway was impossible
md the scheme merely OF visionary The bill never
theless passed by large majority and was sent to the
House where II died premature death In committee
II was too late TO have considered Had been House
hill IL might have stood chance for tho committee Is
understood 10 have been In favor OF granting
simple charter without guarantees 10 Captain lads
the proposition which he himself reduced after
recognizing insuperable difficulties Of getting the Gov
eminent TO any responsibility whatsoever In his
.chene There Is reason Ia believe. however that the
railway will not die with Eads but the contrary that
in the Ih Congress another effort will be made by his
successors 10 obtain act of Incorporation.
CAPTAIN Eads had warm friend In the President. ana
an enihusiastic admrer in Mrs Cleveland Inc latter
frequently went out driving with Captain Eldss family
when Washington and once or twice went Va te OAp
FOL purpose of having the workings OF The sh
railway modein the basement OF the House explained TO
her by the great engineer.